


A Gift From Neptune

by BearWithAHat



Category: Formula 1 RPF, Formula 2 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bathtubs, Crack Treated Seriously, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Getting Together, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Light Angst, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Sirens, Threesome, callum sounds like a stoner sometimes but it wasnt on purpose, mermick mermick!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearWithAHat/pseuds/BearWithAHat
Summary: Callum and Marcus find a strange creature washed up on the beach; stress, kisses, and just a little bit of feelings ensue.
Relationships: Marcus Armstrong/Callum Ilott, Marcus Armstrong/Callum Ilott/Mick Schumacher
Comments: 14
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sjsjs this whole fic idea started when a discord fren sent a picture of mick where he had a necklace on.,.i thought it was a seashell necklace at first (sadly it wasn't) but it gave me the idea to write a mermaid mick fic :o)
> 
> i should probably add that this is the first time ive ever written fic for either of these 3 characters djshjfhj i don't know as much about callum or marcus but i did my best and i really hope that it doesn't sound too awkward
> 
> originally this was going to be a oneshot but i decided to break it up into 3 chapters instead! i already have most of the second finished upon publishing this one, i just really wanted to get something published so that it wasn't sitting in my drafts any longer!

Marcus woke up when he heard Callum shuffling out of bed. It was still dark out, with the morning sun just barely beginning to appear, and so he rolled over and reached out for his boyfriend. He felt Callum stroke his shoulder and heard him laugh quietly at his sleepy antics.

"Mhm, it's still so early, why are you getting up already?" Marcus yawned, keeping his eyes closed. He tucked his arms beneath his pillow and listened to the sound of Callum pulling the drawers of his dresser open.

"I'm gonna go for a jog on the beach. Early in the morning is the best time to exercise outside, since it's not too hot or cold," Callum chuckled as he shrugged some exercise clothes on. He slipped on a pair of shoes and leaned over to press a kiss to Marcus' hair before he left.

Marcus frowned at the loss of his boyfriend in his bed next to him, but he quickly slipped back into sleep once it was quiet in their bedroom again.

When he woke up again a little while later, it was because his phone was going off on the nightstand next to him. Marcus sighed and sat up, rubbing sleepiness from his eyes. It was a bit lighter, though still earlier in the morning than when he usually got up, and the only reason why Marcus didn't shut his phone off was because he could see that it was a call from his boyfriend. He picked up and answered, " _hello?"_

"Hey, um, there's something washed up on the beach," The Brit sounded out of breath as he talked.

"Like a dolphin or something? I don't work on the weekends but I can call the team at the aquarium to come get it," Marcus said. He worked at an aquarium and although he was only a caretaker assistant, he had seen his colleagues care for injured wildlife that washed up on the beach until the animal could be safely returned to the ocean.

There was a pause and all he heard was Callum's heavy breathing for a few moments. "Uh, no it's not a dolphin. I don't really know what it is but it looks...injured and I think you should just get down here," Callum said, and the tension in his voice got Marcus' attention and made him wake up a bit faster.

"Alright, just give me a few minutes to get up," Marcus murmured.

He put his phone down and reached around blindly until he got the lights on. Marcus didn't bother to see if his clothes matched; he just pulled out whatever was most accessible in his drawers. After running a brush through his hair and narrowly avoiding swallowing his toothpaste in record speed, Marcus was tripping over his half-tied shoelaces as he jogged out the door with a sense of duty.

It took a few minutes for him to drive down to the beach where Callum went to run. As he did his best to pay attention to what little traffic there was, Marcus' mind raced with possibilities. Callum hadn't given him much detail over the phone, in fact he had sounded rather vague and it made Marcus painfully curious and also just a little bit nervous. He thought that Callum had been with him long enough and listened to his marine biology ramblings for long enough to be able to identify a plethora of ocean animals, and for him to not know what was on the beach made him concerned. It seemed like forever until he was finally parking and tumbling out of his car.

Marcus ignored the cool morning air biting at his cheeks and began to jog down the sandy beach. He gasped for breath and felt like he was about to collapse when he saw Callum waving at him. His boyfriend looked over his shoulder at something, presumably whatever he had found.

"I thought it was a person at first, but I...don't really know," Callum pointed at a motionless shape laying on the sand, just out of reach of the waves which ebbed and flowed in a gentle, quiet cycle.

He squinted and took a few hesitant steps closer. Marcus took his hand and pulled him along with him as he steadily got closer. When he was close enough to make out more details in the slowly emerging morning light, Marcus let out a breath and looked on in amazement. 

"It's a mermaid, Cal," he murmured almost inaudibly.

There on the sand lay a young blonde man, his features relaxed and his eyes closed like he was asleep. His bare form was slender and pale, and Marcus trailed his gaze over his toned chest, stomach and arms. The v of his hips gave way to a tail, the shape of which resembled a dolphin's but had the scales of a fish. It was a soft red colour, and Marcus was admiring the mermaid still when he realized that Callum was talking to him.

"A mermaid? I thought they only lived out in like, the open ocean and stayed away from the shore," Callum whispered. He was peeking over Marcus' shoulder like he wasn't too sure of the creature in front of them.

It wasn't an unreasonable worry, Marcus thought, most people never saw mermaids because they usually hid away in the abyss of the open sea. When they did come closer to shore, it was hard to catch a glimpse of one, for most mermaids weren't trusting of people and could make a quick getaway if needed. And here they were, with a mermaid who Marcus couldn't even determine if he was alive, laying right in front of them.

"They do. I don't even know if he's alive," Marcus said, trying to look for any signs of life in the young man.

He bit his lip and knelt down on the sand next to the mermaid. His skin was flushed red and his scales were dry, and Marcus did his best to calm down and recall his knowledge about caring for injured sea animals. Lightly running his fingertips over the almost sunburnt-looking skin, Marcus realized that the mermaid was probably dehydrated, not dead, and checking for a pulse confirmed his suspicions.

"I don't know how he got here, but he's really dehydrated," Marcus explained and looked up at Callum, who was standing beside him with a look of bewilderment.

"So what do we do? Push him back into the ocean or call the aquarium people?" Callum asked. He hesitantly knelt down by Marcus and pressed the back of his hand against the mermaid's forehead, feeling how overheated and dry he felt.

Marcus frowned and thought for a second. "No, I don't feel like it would be right to call the aquarium, I'm afraid they'd take advantage of him. And he's hurt too, so I don't think we should just dump him back in the ocean," he said, gesturing to a few scrapes on the young man's body.

"Please don't tell me you're about to suggest that we take a mermaid home and try to take care of him," Callum sighed, and the way Marcus smiled innocently up at him told him everything he needed to know. He hid his face in his hands momentarily before saying, "babe, you're too good for me sometimes."

Figuring out how to get the mermaid home with them proved to be a difficult thing. Marcus had parked a fair distance away, and so they would have to attempt to carry him to their car. After debating about who had to carry the tail end, Marcus found himself wrapping his arms around the heavy tail as best as he could while Callum hooked his arms around the mermaid's upper body. They both got sand all over themselves, but that was the least of their worries as they carried him down the length of the beach.

Marcus winced from the soreness in his arms when he finally spotted their car in the small parking lot. Callum looked like he was in a fair degree of pain too, and they both made some rather unlovely noises from the effort it took to carry him to the parked car.

"Do we just put him in the back and hope people think he's our drunk friend that we're giving a ride to?" Callum suggested, trying to shift the boy's weight to one arm so that he could open the car door. Marcis grimaced as he had to readjust his hold on the tail to avoid dropping him.

"Yeah, as long as we don't get pulled over then we'll be fine," Marcus said, relieved when Callum got the door open and they laid him across the backseat.

Marcus huffed and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He bent down and pushed the fins of the tail further inside so that they didn't get caught in the door when he closed it, and he hoped that nobody would be looking too hard as they drove. An unconscious man in the backseat of a car was a pretty concerning sight, and Callum didn't want to spend his weekend getting investigated for having someone who looked dead in his car.

Driving home was a rather interesting experience too. Callum kept looking over his shoulder from where he sat in the passenger seat, and Marcus was a little taken aback whenever he glanced in the rear view mirror to see a scaly tail. It wasn't how he had planned to start his weekend off, but Marcus had recently been trying to take life in stride and not stress about what happened to him.

That being said, he was still a little panicked as he pulled into their driveway and parked once more.

"I don't know the first thing about taking care of, uh, sea animals, so you're gonna have to take the lead on this one, babe," Callum said as they sat in the driveway for a moment.

"Well, when they rescue dolphins at the aquarium, the first thing they do is get them into water so that they don't get too dry. So maybe we should get him in the bath and fill it for the time being," Marcus suggested, nodding to reassure both himself and Callum.

They made sure nobody else was in sight before they got the mermaid out of the car and into the house. The bathroom had never seemed so far away until that moment, where they were trying to carry an unconscious man through the house without knocking anything down. Marcus bit his lip when he nearly tripped over the coffee table and heard something fall off of it, though thankfully they didn't break anything as they stumbled through their house.

When they got in the bathroom and set him down in the bathtub, Marcus immediately turned the water on and plugged the drain. He set it to a lukewarm temperature and let out a long sigh afterward, leaning against Callum and hiding his face against his shoulder. The sound of the water running and Callum laughing softly as he wrapped an arm around him were all that Marcus focused on.

"I think the next few days will certainly be interesting," Callum said, patting his side, and Marcus was inclined to agree.

Marcus shut the bathwater off once it was mostly full, and the mermaid was about up to his chest in the water. They stood in front of the tub like they were still in awe for a few minutes, until Callum exclaimed, "oh shit, we've still got to take a shower!"

"Alright, let's take a shower then," Marcus said, not seeing the issue his boyfriend apparently saw. He stepped away to gather towels, which he set on the counter, and turn the water of the shower on. Seeing as they were both covered in a layer of sweat and sand, taking a shower sounded quite appealing to him.

"What if the damn mermaid wakes up? Then he's just gonna see two guys naked and that will be the very first memory he has of being on land. Wouldn't that be fucked up or what?" Callum complained as Marcus was already pulling his mismatched clothing off. Marcus rolled his eyes and tried to repress a laugh.

"He probably won't wake up for a few hours, so I think we'll be alright. If he does wake up, then we'll just have to do some quick handiwork with the towels," Marcus teased, slipping into the shower, "come on, we might not get to do our usual 'shower routine' but I still want to wash your hair."

Callum didn't say anymore and pulled his clothes off as well, stepping into the shower and joining Marcus beneath the warm stream of water. They let the water rinse away the sweat and sand that had clung to them from kneeling on the beach and hauling their new friend home. When Callum kept peering out from the shower door to see if their guest in the bathtub was still unconscious, Marcus sighed and pulled him into a kiss, blindly reaching behind him to squirt shampoo into his hands to reach up and rub it into Callum's hair.

When they were all cleaned up and dressed, this time with Marcus wearing clothes that didn't look like a fashion crime together, they kept the bathroom door open to listen for the sound of the mermaid waking up.

As Marcus sat down with his computer to answer work emails, the full situation finally started to dawn on him. He forced himself to swallow down a cup of coffee as he read over words from the boss, detailing some work party or another that he was expected to show up at during the week. But in the back of his mind, all that he was really thinking about was the fact that he and his boyfriend had a mermaid, a creature that people rarely interacted with, sitting in their bathtub and they had for some reason taken it upon themselves to take care of it without anyone noticing. Marcus sighed and set his mug down on the kitchen table, burying his face in his hands and rubbing at his eyes.

"Cal, are we in over our heads with this?" he groaned, peeking out of his fingers to where Callum was sitting across from him, scrolling through something on his phone.

"The whole fish boy thing? Yeah, we probably are," Callum said with a shrug. He set his phone down and reached across the table to comfortingly put his hand over top of Marcus', adding, "but there's nobody I'd rather be in over my head with than you."

Marcus felt himself melt under the praise and he smiled, standing up to embrace Callum, who wrapped his arms comfortingly around him and let out a quiet hum. They swayed back and forth together like they were going to slow dance, and Marcus leaned up to capture Callum's lips in a soft kiss. He let some of the stress that had started to accumulate fall away as he felt Callum cup his cheek.

They parted after a sweet moment, and Marcus was about to press his lips to Callum's once more when the sound of loudly splashing water and someone gasping interrupted them.

Callum shot him a look and they were running to the bathroom in record time, barging through the slightly ajar door. The mermaid in the tub had woken up and seemed to be very distressed, as anyone would be waking up in an unfamiliar place with no memory of how they got there. He was squirming around in the bath and he let out a yelp. Marcus and Callum both tried to talk at the same time and they sat on the edge of the bath.

"Hey, calm down! You're alright, just calm down," Marcus soothed him, putting a hand out. Callum pulled a towel off the counter and wiped down the water that had splashed over the side of the bath, curiously watching the mermaid quiet down and pay attention to Marcus out of the corner of his eye.

"Where am I?!" the young man cried, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. His voice was very pleasant and soft, and he talked with a sweetness that made Marcus' heart fawn just a little bit. He could definitely understand why some believed mermaids could lure sailors in with their voice.

Marcus instinctively reached out and set a hand on his shoulder. He was glad to see that the dry, red irritation from being out of water for too long had gone down, and the mermaid looked much healthier than he had when they found him on the beach.

"You were washed up on the beach, and you were really dehydrated and hurt. We took you home to try and help you," Marcus shushed him, taking his hand away, "my name is Marcus, this is Callum." He turned to put his hand on Callum's thigh, and the Brit curiously gazed at the mermaid.

"Hello," Callum said softly, putting his hand over top of Marcus'.

"Oh...thank you," the mermaid said, fidgeting and trailing his fingers through the bathwater, "my name is Mick. I didn't mean to get stuck on the beach, I just wanted to see people. I was never really allowed to go near boats or the shore when I was little, and I guess I got too far up on the shoreline."

Marcus smiled at Mick, letting his eyes wander over him. There were still scrapes on his body from being battered against the sand, and he could see Mick wince as he noticed the injuries. Luckily there was nothing too severe, but Marcus knew it would probably be nice of him to do something to soothe Mick's pain. He hoped that what they had in the medicine cabinet would work on a mermaid as it did on humans.

"How are you feeling? Do you want me to treat your scrapes?" Marcus asked.

"Very tired..confused, and please, everything hurts really badly," Mick sniffled. He looked at Marcus with the most pleading expression, and something in the back of Marcus' mind felt that Mick was going to worm his way into their hearts.

Marcus stood up, murmuring to Callum, "can you sit up by his head and comfort him while I clean his cuts up?"

Even though he wasn't quite sure how to comfort a mermaid, Callum shifted to sit at the opposite end of the bath. He was a bit surprised when Mick gazed up at him in amazement, and even more so when Mick leaned to rest his cheek against his thigh, effectively putting his head in Callum's lap. Callum raised an eyebrow but didn't question it, gently stroking Mick's blonde hair.

"So...how do you breathe underwater?" he asked to fill the silence. He glanced up to see Marcus digging through the cabinet beneath the sink and pulling out an assortment of items.

"Gills, just like a fish. We breathe through those when we're under the water, which is most of the time, and we breathe like you do when we're at the surface," Mick answered. It was like having an excited puppy in his lap, Callum thought, with the way Mick smiled and pushed his head against his hand.

Marcus made his way back over to the side of the bath, setting a few things on the ground beside him. He screwed the lid off of an antiseptic, wetting the end of a washcloth with it and leaning over the side of the bath to carefully dab at the scrapes on Mick's chest, shoulders, and arms. Mick whimpered at the sting of the alcohol, and Callum was a little embarrassed to find himself instinctively cooing at him and rhythmically running his fingers through his hair in attempt to comfort him.

"Are you friends with sea animals?" Callum continued to distract him. Marcus set the cloth down and picked up an ointment, which would hopefully ease the pain.

"Oh, yes! Dolphins are very friendly and I used to play with them as a kid, and whales are pretty affectionate too. Sometimes the babies come up to us and roll over to let us give them a pat on the stomach,” Mick recalled fondly, closing his eyes as Callum stroked his hair.

The mental picture of the rather pretty mermaid beside him patting a whale was a cute one, and Callum let out a quiet laugh.

“Alright, you’re all patched up. You should be all better in a few days,” Marcus said with a smile. He screwed the cap of the ointment back on and he patted Mick's arm before he stood up to put the medical supplies away. Mick watched him, seeming fascinated by the way his legs moved as he elegantly bent over to open the cabinet.

Callum watched him walk away too, although for him it was more of a shameless opportunity to admire his boyfriend's backside. Marcus gave him a bit of a pointed look when he saw him staring, changing to a softer and sweeter expression when he saw Mick watching him too. Callum could tell that Marcus was going into his motherly mode, which really only emerged when they encountered dogs on the street.

"Do you need anything to eat or drink?" Marcus asked, kneeling down on the tile floor again.

"Yeah, I'm sort of hungry," Mick said. He seemed a bit shy to be asking for something.

"Um, what do you eat? I don't know if we have much in the house that would appeal to a mermaid," Marcus continued, and Callum admittedly thought it was sweet to see him caring for their new friend.

"Well, I eat fish, and shrimp, and seaweed..." Mick began to list off an entire impressive list of things that mermaids ate, some of which Marcus and Callum had no idea could be considered edible. Of course, it was just their luck that nothing that he listed was anything they had in their house.

The two of them sat for a second, deep in thought, and Marcus eventually got up and pulled Callum out of the bathroom and into the kitchen with him. They looked through their small kitchen, practically turning the whole place inside out, before Marcus frowned and flung himself hopelessly into Callum's arms.

"Damnit, who knew caring for a mermaid would be so hard?" Marcus loudly cried, toying with the sleeve of Callum's shirt.

"Let's just stop by the grocery store. We can pick up some fish or whatever, something to last for a week or so," Callum suggested, lovingly nuzzling his nose against Marcus' cheek.

They took a trip to the closest store, entrusting Mick to stay put in the bath while they were gone. Marcus did his best to recall what he saw his colleagues at the aquarium feeding the dolphins, though eventually he just gave up and decided to get whatever fish looked decent enough. He and Callum cooked it up once they were back home and nearly forgot to make something for themselves to eat, though Marcus eventually remembered when his stomach started making whale noises as he was cutting up the fish for Mick.

“You go feed him, I’ll make something for us,” Callum said with a laugh. 

Marcus took the plate and carried it into the bathroom, where Mick perked up upon seeing him. He sat on the ground beside the bath once more and handed the plate to the mermaid.

“We didn’t really know what to get for you, so I hope it’s alright,” he explained as Mick began to eat the fish.

Mick didn't seem to have any complaints though, seeing as he ate it all rather quickly. Marcus got him a bottle of water too, figuring he would need it to help with dehydration. As he watched Mick silently, he could already feel a sense of fondness growing toward him. He had to admit that caring for him was something that he surprisingly liked, and Mick's sweet smile had a way of working its charms already.

Marcus only felt exhaustion settling into him when he took the empty plate back out into the kitchen, having left Mick curled up for a nap in the bath. He yawned, set the plate in the sink even though he knew he probably should have just cleaned it then, and slumped down into a chair at the table where Callum was waiting for him. They were both ready to turn in for an early night once they were done with dinner, and Marcus gladly trailed after him into their room.

They quickly changed into something more comfortable and were cuddled up in bed soon, leaving the door open slightly in case Mick needed anything during the night. Marcus tucked his head underneath Callum's chin and pressed his cheek against his boyfriend's chest, tangling their legs together beneath the soft sheets. He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, trying not to focus on anything except for Callum's arms around him and the steady beat of his heart.

Callum kissed the top of his head, soothingly tracing shapes between his shoulder blades. His touch was always comforting and Marcus smiled blissfully as they lay together. It was nice to know that even when the world threw strange challenges at them, they were still there for one another and could count on each other.

"This really was not how I thought today would've gone," Marcus hummed, on the verge of falling asleep.

"Me neither," Callum said, "I guess we'll have to see what tomorrow has in store for us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is this a bit dumb? yeah. oh well sjdajhdj
> 
> as always you can find me on tumblr @esteboo-ocon! :^)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mermick cockblocks his caretakers jdfhsh sorry..,.this chapter is a little bit longer than the first one but I honestly didn't want to add anything else to this one hehe

Marcus woke up and yawned, not ready to get out of bed yet. He nuzzled his face further into Callum's chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him and appreciating the soft material of the shirt he was wearing. The sheets were pulled up high around them, and Marcus didn't want to leave the warmth he was swaddled in. Judging by the daylight that he could see peeking through the window though, he figured that it was time for him to get up.

"Mhm, where are you going?" Callum asked when Marcus began to sit up, his voice just the slightest bit hoarse with sleepiness. He tightened his hold on him, pulling Marcus back into the warm sheets and lazily kissing his cheek.

"It's time for me to get up and go to work, isn't it?" Marcus giggled, flicking Callum's cheek with his finger.

Callum rolled over top of him to press him against the mattress, holding Marcus' wrists down and kissing the tip of his nose. He smiled against Marcus' skin and said, "it's a Sunday, babe. You don't have to do anything today."

Marcus let out a sigh of relief. He had lost track of time with the rather chaotic day that they had had before, and knowing that it wasn't Monday yet made him feel much better. His job wasn't anything he hated, but he wasn't sure if he would have been able to function properly at work that day.

"Oh, well in that case, come here then," Marcus pressed their lips together in a kiss, enticing Callum into letting go of his wrists in favor of wrapping an arm around his waist and dragging his fingers through his hair.

Early mornings spent together were always something they both enjoyed, and Marcus nearly forgot about everything else in the world as he closed his eyes, gripping at Callum's shoulders. He took a quick breath and pulled Callum into another kiss in a split second. The weight of Callum kneeling on his lap was a comforting presence, and Marcus lost himself in the feeling of his soft lips and his boyfriend's hand running down his chest.

Callum teasingly ran his fingers along the sensitive skin of Marcus' stomach, revealed by his shirt riding up. It drew a laugh from Marcus that quickly faded into a breathless gasp as Callum trailed his lips down his neck. Each kiss from him had Marcus more and more ready to give in to whatever Callum wanted.

He was just about to tell Callum to do what he pleased when there was a concerned voice calling out, " _Marcus? Callum?_ " from down the hall, and the two of them sat up instantly as they were reminded of Mick, still laying in the bathtub.

"Oh shit, forgot about him," Marcus gasped, practically falling out of bed.

They both hurriedly scrambled out of bed and Marcus followed Callum down the hall. Mick was leaning over the side of the bath, his arms folded on the edge and his chin resting on top. He smiled when he saw the two of them and Marcus went to sit on the edge of the bath, unconsciously reaching out and running his fingers through Mick’s hair. Callum raised an eyebrow and did his best to hide a smile as he joined him, standing next to Marcus and saying, “did you need something, Mick?”

“Um, I was wondering if I could have something to eat,” Mick asked, tilting his head into Marcus’ touch.

“Of course, I’ll go get some more fish for you. Marcus and I need to eat too, so we can all have breakfast together,” Callum hummed and was striding out of the room a second later.

Mick sat up and curiously looked over Marcus, his eyes trailing over his legs. Marcus supposed that he shouldn’t have been so surprised that a mermaid was interested in human legs, just as he was intrigued by the red tail that was curled behind Mick.

“Are you feeling any better?” he asked, rubbing at his tired eyes.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’m dehydrated anymore and my skin is starting to heal up,” Mick said. He held out his arm for Marcus to see where the scrapes were looking less irritated.

“That’s good,” Marcus yawned. Mick nodded and shifted to sit nearer to him once more, and Marcus couldn't stop himself from letting out a soft noise when Mick lay his head in his lap.

The mermaid seemed to have a liking for being patted, and Marcus knew he was probably smiling rather dumbly as he stroked Mick’s hair. There was something about him that made Marcus feel like he had known him forever, and having Mick with him and Callum just felt natural.

Once the three of them had eaten, Callum pulled Marcus back into their bedroom to get dressed. Before Marcus could wander over to get anything to wear, Callum set a hand on his shoulder and guided him to sit down on their bed. There was a knowing look on his face and Callum reached down to hold his hand before he said anything.

“Marcus,” he began in a teasing voice, “you know what I’m going to say, right?”

Marcus rolled his eyes and said, “no, Cal, I can’t read your mind.”

"Don't fall in love with the mermaid, babe, that's not going to work out," Callum continued, laying down on his back and reaching out for Marcus. Marcus pouted and lay down next to him, letting Callum wrap his arms around him and resting his head against his shoulder.

"I'm not falling in love with the mermaid," Marcus protested. He looked away and felt his cheeks flush with warmth when Callum sarcastically agreed, and all he could murmur in response was, "hey, he's _cute_. Look at Mick and tell me that you don't want to kiss him and squish his cheeks."

Callum pressed a kiss to his forehead, rolling over top of him and Marcus once again found himself held down by his boyfriend that morning. There was no complaints from him though, and he appreciatively dragged his hand over Callum's torso and to rest down on his waist as Callum captured his lips in a kiss. He pulled away from Marcus a few seconds later and said, "you're not wrong, he is very cute. I'm just afraid that we'll get attached to him and then we'll get sad when we have to let him go."

Marcus sighed and knew Callum was right. But he also knew that there were some quickly developing feelings from both him and Callum toward Mick; the nature of these feelings was something that he wasn't quite sure of yet.

What pulled him from his thoughts was Callum kissing his cheek and teasingly sneaking his hand beneath his shirt. He stroked his fingers softly over the delicate skin of Marcus' stomach, which elicited a laugh from Marcus that Callum took advantage of. Marcus' laughter turned into a low moan when Callum pressed their lips together again and slipped his tongue past his lips. It was enough to distract him from everything else on his mind, and Marcus hoped that this time there wouldn't be any interruptions.

"You can fall in love with me though,” Callum murmured, while Marcus tried to regain his breath.

“I’m already in love with you, idiot,” Marcus purred. He was more than alright with letting Callum shut him up afterwards though.

The rest of their sunday was spent at home, lounging around and being attentive to Mick. Marcus was glad to spend a day relaxing before getting back to work. Hours went by where he was sprawled out on the couch, eyes fixed on whatever was playing on the tv while Callum lay in his lap.

They also spent more consecutive time in their bathroom than they ever had before. Mick took a nap for a while but when he woke up, he was bored and lonely, and so Callum and Marcus did their best to keep him company. The mermaid listened to them answer his many questions with wide eyes and an amazed expression. He was fascinated by everything, and so it wasn’t too tricky to keep him entertained. Callum read him a few chapters of a book, Marcus told him all about his job at the aquarium, and Mick eventually chattered on about his life in the sea.

Marcus thought that he was adorable, and he knew Callum did too despite whatever he might say otherwise. The look on the Brit’s face was the same one he had worn on the first date he and Marcus had ever been on. They didn’t talk much about it though; they only shared the same _he’s so cute holy shit_ look whenever Mick did something like lay his cheek in Callum’s lap or nuzzle his nose against Marcus’ palm.

When they went to sleep that night, Marcus knew he and Callum were both in the deep end of things.

* * *

A half empty cup of coffee sat on the coffee table and the television played softly, switched on to some random channel, as Callum sat on the couch with his laptop on Monday morning. He sighed as he scrolled through a list of job openings in the area, so far not finding anything that caught his eye. Although Marcus hadn't said a word of complaint, Callum had felt guilty for not having a job while his boyfriend worked at the aquarium. Callum had put off looking at jobs for a while, and now that he was finally getting to it, he was getting bored with it and looking for some sort of distraction. Luckily for him, it came rather quickly.

”Callum?” Mick’s soft voice called from the bathroom.

Callum shut his computer and got up, poking his head through the door to see Mick sitting there with a bashful expression. So far, Mick had been very reluctant to ask him or Marcus for anything. He felt like he was bothering them when he did, no matter how many times Callum assured him that he wasn’t a bother at all.

“Can I ask you for something?” Mick went on, a subtle flush of red dusting his cheeks. He looked up at Callum for a second before averting his gaze down at his hands, which he folded and pretended to be very interested in.

“Of course. What do you need?” Callum asked, wondering what Mick could be so shy to ask for.

Mick beckoned for him to come closer, and Callum raised an eyebrow as he wandered to the side of the bathtub, kneeling down to be on eye level with Mick. The mermaid leaned forward and rested his cheek against the side of the bath, murmuring, "I don't really know how to say it, but mermaids are really social creatures and we need some sort of physical interaction to be happy. I haven't um, cuddled anyone in a while."

Callum felt his lips curling into a smile when he anticipated what Mick was going to say next. He was still too shy to meet Callum's gaze as he said, "so, can you cuddle me?"

"Sure. Let me go put on a swimsuit, and I'll cuddle you for a bit," Callum ruffled Mick's soft hair before he stood back up.

Callum stood up and went to his and Marcus' bedroom. He wondered what his boyfriend was up to at work, and he hoped that Marcus wouldn't be upset if he cuddled with Mick for a bit. The both of them seemed to have some growing feelings for the boy, whether or not they were ready to talk about it or not, and Callum had a faint bit of stress forming in his chest over what would happen if they both managed to fall in love with the mermaid that they found on the beach.

He shook the thoughts from his head and told himself to focus on what was happening in the present, not the future. It took a few moments of searching through his drawers to find a set of swimming trunks, which he pulled on after he kicked his pants off. Callum walked back into the bathroom to find Mick waiting for him with eager eyes.

"Wait, can you take your...that thing, off too?" Mick asked bashfullt, gesturing to the t-shirt Callum had left on, "the skin contact is what I need the most."

Callum pulled the shirt off over his head and folded it hastily, setting it on the counter before he carefully climbed into the bathtub. Mick scooted over to make room for him, although the bath wasn't exactly designed to fit more than one person. They fit well enough though, and Callum turned the water on momentarily to warm it up. Although Mick didn't care much about the water temperature, he did, and only when it felt warm enough did Callum turn it back off and sit back.

Mick wordlessly pressed himself against his side, resting his head against his shoulder. He lay his cheek against Callum's bare shoulder, nuzzling his face into the Brit's neck and letting out a soft breath. Callum carefully draped his arm over Mick's shoulders, trying his best to come to terms with the fact that he was cuddling with a mermaid. The direct contact seemed to calm Mick down, and the feeling of him pressed against Callum was a very warm and soothing one.

"Sorry, I know this is kind of embarrassing," Mick squeaked. His cheeks were flushed red and he looked down at Callum's legs, quite the contrast in comparison to his red, scaly tale. Mick pushed the fins of his tail forward to poke at Callum's ankle, eliciting a chuckle from him. He reached down to put a hand on Callum's leg, submerged in the water.

"Don't be embarrassed. People need affection too, that's why Marcus and I sleep in the same bed and I always wake up to him practically on top of me every morning," Callum murmured, stroking Mick's arm comfortingly.

Mick hummed and shifted to lay on his side, wrapping his arms around Callum's torso. He peeked up at Callum, a curious look in his eyes, and he hesitated a few seconds before asking, "is Marcus your mate?" Callum nearly choked on air at the question.

"My mate?" he repeated. Truthfully, he understood the question fairly well, Mick was asking about his relationship with Marcus. However, Callum wasn't sure if they were _mates_ yet or if that was the mermaid's equivalent of marriage.

"Yeah, he's your mate, right?" Mick peered up at him, "You guys are very close all the time and I've seen you touching each other a lot and kissing. Isn't that what humans do with their mates?"

Callum smiled and brushed his fingers along Mick's bare skin, and he wondered if Mick had a mate. He was beautiful enough and had a sweet personality, and Callum imagined that he had no trouble finding someone to cozy up with under the sea. The thought made him feel a slight pang of what Callum was afraid was jealousy.

"Yeah, we do those things. Marcus is my mate, I suppose, but we don't really call our partners our mate. Marcus and I are in love, and he's my boyfriend," Callum explained, appreciating Mick's warm cheek against his chest. The water was warm too, but Mick comfortably laying against him was more to his taste.

"Oh, _boyfriend_ ," Mick sounded the word out. His slow and dramatic pronunciation made Callum laugh, and he heard Mick let out a soft noise and hide his face against his chest once more.

"Do you have a mate, or a boyfriend?" Callum asked. Laying in the water with Mick was much like cuddling Marcus, he thought, which was likely why he instinctively pressed his nose into the mermaid's hair and kissed the top of his head.

Mick shook his head and said, "no, I've never had a mate. I don't think I've met anyone who I would want to be with, until now."

Callum felt his jaw drop at the implication, or at least what he thought was being implied. He and Marcus hadn't said much to each other beyond the fact that they both thought Mick was very pretty and more than endearing. Of course, they knew that it seemed fantastical to think of adding a mermaid, a creature that lived deep in the sea and who had very little ability to live on land, to their relationship. But then again, it was Mick, who had managed to become rather important to them in an impressive amount of time.

He tried to think of something to say that didn't sound awkward or give away the suspense that was building in his chest. Luckily for him, Mick broke the silence.

"Can I kiss you?" he begged, rolling onto his stomach and looking up at Callum with pleading eyes. His hand was splayed over Callum's chest, almost burning against his skin as Callum did his best to have a coherent thought about the question. Just a few centimeters away from him, Mick's lips looked soft and inviting.

"Mick, you know Marcus is my mate, I kiss him," Callum murmured, closing his eyes when Mick reached his other hand up to stroke his cheek, eventually dragging his finger over his bottom lip.

"I want to kiss you though," Mick whimpered softly, "and I want to kiss Marcus too."

Callum swallowed heavily as he reached up to carefully thread his fingers through Mick's hair, and he decided to just go for whatever felt right. He nodded, and Mick instantly leaned forward to press their lips together, almost desperate in the way that he moved and gripped Callum's cheek.

Kissing Mick was different than kissing Marcus, not just because of the tail that was draped over his legs. It reminded him of the very first time that he and Marcus had kissed; it was just a bit awkward but still enjoyable. Mick had clearly never kissed anyone before and he was very eager to try, his soft lips moving passionately against Callum's.

Callum let his eyes fall shut and he leaned back against the back of the bath. Mick curiously poked at the seam of his lips with the tip of his tongue, and he let him part his lips.

The look on Mick's face when they parted was almost as good as the kiss itself. His cheeks were a similar soft red shade as his tail, and his lips were curled into a fascinated smile that went along with the shine in his eyes. Callum felt himself breaking into a smile too.

“It feels nice,” Mick commented in a whisper, “I see why humans do it.” 

“I’m sure Marcus will kiss you just as well,” Callum murmured, stroking Mick’s hair. 

Mick said no more and simply lay his head down on Callum’s chest. He seemed to be buzzing with joy, smiling brightly and wrapping his arms around Callum’s waist. Callum’s mind was chaotic and he wasn’t sure which thought to address first.

It only took a few minutes for Mick to fall asleep. His soft breathing and the warmth of his arms around Callum lulled the Brit to sleep too, his hands placed softly on Mick’s shoulders.

* * *

Marcus let out a tired sigh as he made his way through the front door in the afternoon, having just gotten home from work. He had spent hours sweeping the aquarium floors, putting on a smile to greet guests, and getting sea lions to sit still long enough for them to be checked out by the vet.

It was a bit quieter than he expected the house to be. Usually Callum had the television or some sort of music on while he was at home; it made the job search less dull and hopeless.

He set his belongings down on the couch, figuring he could put them away later. All he felt like doing for a while was laying down or taking a nap, preferably with his boyfriend accompanying him. Marcus yawned, rubbing at his eyes, and trudged down the hall to where their bedroom was.

The bathroom door hanging open caught Marcus' eye, and he pushed it further open and stepped inside. There in the bath was Callum, asleep, with Mick napping on his chest.

It made Marcus smile and he felt a fuzzy feeling in his chest, unable to stop himself from making a soft noise at the sight. Mick looked peaceful, his features relaxed and his arms wrapped lovingly around Callum's waist. His blonde hair was ruffled slightly, and Callum's hand must have been what messed it up. Callum looked just as peaceful, his back resting against the edge of the bathtub and his arms holding Mick to his chest.

Whatever ungodly noise Marcus made was loud enough to wake Callum up, who flushed a pink tone upon seeing his boyfriend standing in the door frame. He cleared his throat and did his best not to wake Mick up, looking embarrassed and like he didn't know what to say.

"That's a cute sight to come home to," Marcus said, coming to kneel on the ground beside the bath. He leaned over the side and kissed Callum's cheek.

"He wanted me to cuddle him, he said he was lonely. And uh, I kissed him, just felt like you should know. He said he wants to kiss you too," Callum admitted in a quiet tone. He looked down at Mick, still sleeping soundly, and brushed his fingers through his hair.

"Weren't you the one telling me not to fall in love with him?" Marcus teased, to which Callum huffed and blushed a warm red shade.

Mick woke up before Callum could say anything else, and he yawned and pressed his face against Callum's shoulder for a moment. When he turned his head and noticed Marcus, he broke out into a smile and put a hand out, and Marcus entwined their fingers together to hold his hand. The mermaid let out a pleased sound, and in a cheery voice he said "you're back!"

"Yeah, I got back from work. Callum said you wanted a kiss from me?" Marcus asked, and he a warm feeling blossoming in his stomach at the shy expression on Mick's face as he nodded.

"If you're okay with that," Mick murmured. He sat up in Callum's lap and squeaked when Marcus pulled him forward, letting go of his hand to cup his cheek. Marcus didn't hesitate to lean forward and press their lips together in a kiss, with Mick relaxing into his touch and letting his eyes flutter shut. Mick mewled against his lips and reached out to steady himself on Marcus' shoulders, nearly falling out of the bathtub.

Marcus thought it was the slightest bit amusing just how energetic and eager he was to be kissed, and he could feel Callum staring at them adoringly. Mick curled his fingers into the material of his shirt when he let Marcus deepen the kiss, and he was nearly panting for breath when they parted. The pink on his cheeks and the sight of his shiny lips was a nice thing to see, Marcus decided, and he gently traced his finger over Mick's cheekbone.

When he and Callum left the bathroom, they both knew it would be difficult to let Mick go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear i didnt mean for this chapter to sound so sexually tense but thats just how it be!
> 
> come scream with me on tumblr @bingstory :o)


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